Switch



June 3, 1941. E. w. RICKMEYER swITcH Filed March 15, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l June 3, 1941.

E. W. RICKMEYER SWITCH Filed March 15, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. W. RICKMEYE SWITCH Filed March 15, 1939 June 3, 1941.

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 3, 1941 SWITCH .Ernst Walter Rickmeyer, Elmhurst, Ill., assignor to Jefferson Electric Company, Bellwood, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application March 15, 193,9, Serial No. 261,992

2Claims. My invention relates to switches, and more particularly to a manually operable switch which utilizes a liquid contacting medium for controlling an electrical circuit.

lBecause of their long life, freedom from open arcs, ease of operation and high current carrying capacity, mercury tube switching elementsrare very desirable for many purposes in electrical control.y Switches having a liquid or mercury contacting medium, as distinguished from nswitches having mechanical circuit breaking elements, depend upon the slope or disposition of the liquid or mercury containing portion of the vswitch for determining circuit openings and closure. It is, therefore, desirable that certain features and adjustments be provided in a switch embodying ,a liquid or mercury circuit controlling medium which are not of importance in a switch h aving mechanical circuit controlling elements. It is ran object of my invention'to provide a switch in which a mercury contact element is utilized for controlling kan electrical circuit and ,which is adapted to Abe adjusted for mounting at any one of a plurality of angles.

Anotherobject of my invention is to provide a switch having a liquid circuit making and vbreaking medium and which is particularly adapted for mounting on a control panel or in an enclosure with an operatingmember exposed.

Another object of my invention is to provide electrical circuits in predetermined timed relation and sequence.

Another object of my invention is to provide va switch biased to one operating position and operable toother positions, said switch having means effecting quick movement to and from each of said other positions.

Another object of my invcntionis to provide a switch utilizing one or more mercury switching elements and which is easily manufactured and assembled, as well as adaptable to a wide variety of uses and mounting positions.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings and a preferred embodiment of my invention is clearly described and illustrated.

`vIn the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an exploded view of a switch embodying va preferred form of my present invention;

Fig. `2 is a fragv switch shown in Fig. l .with the parts shown in their assembled relation;

Fig. 3is va fragmentary substantially on line 3--3 direction of the arrows;

sectional View taken of Fig. 4 and in the rentary View of a part of the Figs/1 and 5 are front elevations of an assembled switch such as that shown in Fig. l, which indicate operating positions of the switch and show the switch in its relation to panels having different slopes;

Figs. 6 and 7 are views similar to those indicated in Figs. 4 and 5 but illustrate a switch which is modified in certain details;

Figs. 8 and 9 arerelevationral views of a switch embodying a modification of my present inventionv` and illustrate different mounting positions of the switch;

Fig. lO'is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyon line Ill-I0 of and in the direction'of the arrows; and Fig. l1 is a fragmentary View of a portion of the switch illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 and illustratesan operatingposition of the switch different from that illustrated in Figs. 8 andv9.

Having particular reference to Figs, 1 to 5, inclusive, the switch has a base or ymounting bracket 2U having an opening 2| therein in which a stud22 is rotatably mounted.

The base or mounting bracket 20 has integral lugs 23 thereon for securing it to a mounting panel or supportZdby screws or other suitable fastening means 25. The stud 22 is so shaped thatit'has a shoulder 26 that rests against one surface ofthe base or mounting bracket 2x0 with a portion 21 rotatably mounted in the opening 2| and pressedrinto an opening 2.8 in an operating member 29 so that the stud 22 is moved with the operating member 29. The stud 22 also has a portion 30 of reduced diameter onto which an adjusting plate 3| is pressed into position adjacent to the surface of the operating member 29 opposite the base or mounting bracket 2D. On this same portion 30 of reduced section of the stud 22 a bracket 33 is also secured as by riveting the stud at 34. The portion 30 ofthe stud 22 extends through openings 34 and 35 in the adjusting plate 3| and bracket 33, respectively. The `angular position of the bracket 33 is preadjusted Vwith respect to the adjusting plate 3| by rotating the bracket on the portion 30 of the stud and securing it in the desired pre-adjusted position by a pin 35' or other suitable means which extends through an opening 36 in the bracket 33 and into any one particular or desired opening of a series of openings 31 in the adjusting plate 3|. The pin or fastening means 35 is preferably riveted or otherwise firmly secured in position after the proper angular adjustment of the bracket 33 has rbeen made. It is understood that the angular position of the bracket 33 may be secured with respect to the adjusting plate 3| by punching or otherwise securing the parts after their relative positions have been determined. In some instances the stud 22 has a portion 3S of reduced section on the end thereof opposite the portion 39 for accommodating a second bracket 40 which is secured thereto as by riveting the stud at 4|.

In the preferred embodiment of my switch a portion 42 of the base or mounting bracket 29 adjacent to the opening 2| is offset from the rest of the surface of the base or mounting bracket to reduce the frictional engagement between the base or mounting bracket and the operating member 29.

To effect adjustment of the angular position of the bracket 33 and compensate for the angle or slope of the panel 24 upon which the switch is mounted, a plurality of openings such as 44, 45 and 46 are provided in the adjusting plate 3|. The positions of the openings, such as 44, 45 and 49, are predetermined for certain standard mounting panel slopes, although in certain instances where more intermediate positions might be desirable the openings 44, 45 and 46 may be replaced by an open slot. To effect the angular -adjustment of the adjusting plate 3| and bracket 33 a screw 41, or other suitable fastening means, extends through the desired opening 44, 45 or 45 and is threaded into an opening 4B in the operating member 29, or otherwise secured thereto. It will be understood that by proper pre-adjustment of the angular position of the bracket 33 with respect to the adjusting plate 3| the positions of the adjusting plate 3| provided by the openings 44, 45 and 46 will provide adjustment to compensate for a variety of standard panel slopes.

The brackets 33 and 4U are substantially similar. The bracket 49 has an opening 50 therein through which the portion 39 of the stud 29 extends and which corresponds to the opening 35 in the bracket 33. Bracket 49 also has an opening therein which corresponds to the opening 35 in the bracket 33 and is for the accommodation of a pin or locating means such as 35'. In addition, the brackets 33 and 4|) have integrally formed hooks 52 and 53, respectively, on one side thereof and integrally formed lugs 54 and 55 respectively, on the other side thereof. The hooks 52 and 53 extend through openings 55 and 51. respectively, in clamping members or straps 58 and 59. The hooks 52 and 53 secure one end of each of the clamping members or straps 58 and 59, respectively, to the brackets 33 and 49. The other ends of the clamping members or straps 58 land 59 are secured to the brackets 33 and 40 by screws 69 and 6| that extend through openings 62 and 53, respectively, in the straps 58 and 59 and are threaded into threaded openings 64 and 55 in the lugs 54 and 55, respectively. The brackets 33 and 40, together with their respective straps or clamping members 58 4and 59 provide clamps for holding mercury tube switching elements such as 58 and 69 in Figs. 4 and 5. The mercury tube switching elements 5B and |59 may be any standard type of mercury tube switch in which the movement of a quantity of mercury makes and breaks a circuit between a pair of contacts. In this type of switch the angular disposition and movement of the mercury tube switching element is important since it controls the making and breaking of the circuit by controlling the movement of the mercury. Where two mercury tube V switching elements are used, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the relative angular positions of the mercury tube switching elements control the relative time of making and breaking the circuits controlled by the switching elements.

The operating member 29 includes a projecting operating lever having a handle 1| thereon that is preferably made of insulating material such as molded phenol-fibre. The operating member 29 also preferably includes an integral cam surface 12 and shoulders 13 and 14 displaced from the opening 28. The channel member is secured to the base or mounting bracket by rivets such as 16 that extend through openings 11 and '|8 in the channel member 15 and base or mounting bracket 20, respectively. A ball is slidably mounted in a channel portion 8| of the channel member 15 and is urged into engagement with the cam surface 12 by a spring 82 that is disposed between the ball 89 and the tang 83 on the channel member 15.

In the form of the switch shown in Figs, 1 to 5, inclusive, the cam surface 12 has a depression or indentation and is convexly curved at 8G and 81 on each side of the depression or indentation 85 so that the ball 89 urges the operating member 29 toward a position in which it rests in the indentation or depression 85. With the convex cam surfaces 85 and 81 on each side of the depression or indentation S5, the operating member 29 is biased toward a central position and is operable in either direction to two positions from that central position. This form of cam is particularly desirable where two mercury switching elements such as 68 and 69 in Figs. 4 and 5 are controlled by the operating member 29. With such a cam both of the mercury switching elements may be in the circuit breaking position in the normal position of the operating member 29 and the operating member may be moved to either one of its other positions to effect closing of a circuit by either one of the mercury switching elements.

In either of the operated positions, such as that indicated at 1|a, by the dot and dash lines in Figs. 4 and 5, the shoulders 13 and 14 engage the channel member 15 to stop movement of the operating member in either direction. Referring particularly to Figs, 6 and '1 reference numerals like those previously used designate similar parts. The switch shown in Figs, 6 and 7 is similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, except that a cam surface |00 having a projecting mid-portion |0| replaces the cam surface 12 of the switch shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive. With a cam surface such as that shown in Figs. 6 and 7 atl |90, the switch operating member 29 is biased to the position to which it was last operated and remains in that position until shifted by manual operation. It is, therefore, apparent that the switch shown in Figs. 6 and '7 has two operated positions as indicated in full lines at 1| and in dot and dash lines at 1lb.

In the modified form of my switch, which is shown in Figs, 8 to 11, inclusive, reference numerals like those previously used also designate similar parts. In this particular switch the operating member 29, the adjusting plate 3| and a plate HEI that is interposed between the operating member 29 and the adjusting plate 3| are secured in position on a stud or similar rotatably mounted member by a screw The adjusting plate 3| is secured in its preadjusted position by the scr-ew 41 which is threaded into the plate iii), rather than into the operating member 29 as in the forms shown in Figs. 1 to '1, inclusive. There is preferably slight clearance at ||3 between the plate il!) and the operatlng member 29 so that the operating member is movable relative to the plate H and adjusting plate 3|. A projecting lug H2, that is preferably integral with the plate H0, extends through a slot I in the operating member 29 and engages the ends of that slot when the operating member 29 is manually moved; the end of the slot engaged depending upon the direction of movement of the operating member. A second lug H6 that is preferably integral with the plate H0 and offset from the plane of the plate H0 carries a roller H1 that is rotatably mounted on a pin H8. The roller H1 engages a biasing spring H9 which acts as a resilient cam surface and has convexly and |2| for effecting quick or snap movement of the plate H0, adjusting plate 3| and the switching elements such as 68 and 69 to and from the circuit making and breaking positions. The biasing spring H9 is preferably backed and reinforced by a resilient leaf spring |22, both of which springs are secured in position by one of the screws 25 that holds the switch support bracket in position with respect to the panel 24.

When the operating member 29 is moved in one direction, as for example to the left from the position shown in Fig. 8, the lug H2 engages the end of the slot H5, to move the plate H0 therewith. This movement of the plate H0 is resisted by the biasing spring H9 until the roller H1 reaches the hump of the curved portion |28 biasing spring H9 assists the movement of the plate H0 and effects quick or snap movement thereof, regardless of the speed oi' continued movement of the operating member 29. The slot H5 provides sufficient play or lost motion to allow the plate H0 to move with quick or snap action under the influence of the biasing spring H9, after the hump of the curved portion has been passed. In moving the switch in its other position the lug H2 engages the other end o1 the slot H5 and the biasing spring H9 again resists movement of the plate H0 until after the hump of the curved portion |20 has been passed. 'I'he curved portion |2`| of the biasing spring H9 improves the resilience and operating characteristics of the biasing springv In the switch shown in Figs. 8 to 11, inclusive, a cam surface co-operates with the spring urged ball 80 and has a concavely curved midportion so that the operating member 29 is normally biased to a mid-position, such as that indicated in Figs. 8 and 9. The biasing force provided by the ball 80 in engagement with the cam surface |25 directly controls the normal position of the operating member 29 while the biasing force of the spring H9 directly controls the position of the adjusting platev 3| and intermediate plate H0, as well as the movement thereof.

In the switch shown in Figs. 8 to 11, inclusive, the adjusting plate 3| has projecting tabs |21 of the surface of the adjusting plate to avoid engagement with other parts of the switch in the normal operating movement thereof. Brackets |29 and |30, that are preferably of the same construction as the brackets 33 and 40, are secured to the tabs |21 and |28, respectively, bv rivets |3| and |32, or other suitable fastening means. As in the case of the brackets 33 and 40, the brackets 29 and |30 are pre-adjusted to a particular and xed angular position with recurved portions at |20 j spect to the adjusting plate 3|. Each of the brackets |29 and |30 is adapted to co-operate with a suitable strap, such as the straps 58 and 59 in Fig. l, to provide a mounting clamp for a mercury switch element. By this construction the switch shown in Figs. 8 to ll, inclusive, is adapted to carry two mercury switch elements S8 and 69 on one side of the switch, while the switch shown in Fig. 1 carries the mercury switch the mercury switches are controlled by the relative angular positions of the brackets |29 and |30, with respect to the adju-sting plate 3|. justment is made to compensate for the angular which is determined and secured by the screw 41 on the stud and rotatable with respect to the operating member, means securing the adjusting plate in fixed angular relation with respect to and operable to sitions by rotary movement of the operating member.

2. A switch comprising, in combination, a base, means rotatable with respect to the base and semeans for securing the second mentioned means in a xed angular position with respect to the operating member, a plurality of clamps secured to and adjustable with the second mentioned means, a mercury switch element carried by each ERNST WALTER RICKMEY ER. 

